Why do you cough up black stuff?

Answer

New Health Guide explains that coughing up black mucus is a somewhat common event that can be explained by a variety of factors, including dirt, pollutants, smoking and more. Other possible causes of coughing up black mucus include foreign bodies and even fungal infections such as aspergillosis. According to Mucus Color, black mucus may also be a sign of lung cancer.

Mucus Color explains that one of the most common causes of coughing up black mucus for non-smokers is blood in the phlegm. While most bloody mucus has a red or brownish appearance, the blood often ages and takes on a darker brown or tarry black appearance as it makes its way up the esophagus. Smokers of tobacco and marijuana are equally prone to producing black mucus. According to New Health Guide, if a smoker coughs up black mucus called bloody sputum, he should seek medical attention immediately.

Health Hype points out that although smokers are the most commonly affected by black phlegm, those who have quit may remain affected by this issue for weeks. Black phlegm is sometimes a sign of a contaminant in the lung or pollution in the air, especially for those who work around high levels of airborne contaminants, for example, in the coal industry.